After nearly six decades of travel restrictions, Americans were finally allowed to travel to Cuba. So, in 2018, under a “religious activities” tourist license—one of the approved categories for Americans to visit—I flew to the beautiful Caribbean island.
Like a little girl given access to her older sister’s bedroom for the first time, I wondered, What would I see? What hidden treasures were there for me to discover?
The first few days were spent in meetings with ministry partners. Then we were invited to a studio. This studio was being used to translate the Bible into Cuban Sign Language for the deaf community in Cuba.
The two-hour bus ride to the studio left me with a wide range of emotions. I marveled at the high mountains and rolling hills. The dazzling crystal blue waters, white sand, and majestic palm trees provided undeniable evidence that Cuba has some the most beautiful beaches in the world. We passed many neighborhoods. Some so beautiful and picturesque with their colonial-era homes donning rich colors—teal, pink, orange—balconies, and crown molding. Others, shantytowns with crumbling tin-roof homes, garbage strewn along the streets, and clothes dangling from windows.
When we arrived, we were greeted by a pastor. We then met the deaf Bible translation team. Through the help of a translator, they gave us an impassioned presentation of their work. Every hand gesture and facial expression so palpable, it was as if I could understand everything they were saying.
Then it was time to see the studio. We grabbed our belongings and followed the small team of three as they led the way. But we were told that only four people could go in at a time. So, I waited. Once again, I found myself, wondering, imagining, dreaming about what I would see when I entered the room.
Finally, it was my turn! I stepped inside. This can’t be it. Where were the fancy cameras, lights, and technology? The room was smaller than my five-year-old daughter’s room! There was a computer, two old television screens, and a video camera duct-taped to a tripod. The duct tape was to ensure the camera wouldn’t fall and break because they couldn’t afford to buy another one. There were clothes—what seemed to be biblical costumes—strung up on a pipe. For the past three years, this small but faithful team worked long days in that room with no windows acting out the Scriptures in Cuban Sign Language. One translator even moved across the island with his wife and son to be a part of this Bible translation project that will enable every deaf Cuban to have Scripture in their heart language.
That day I had corrective eye surgery.
No, I don’t wear glasses or contact lenses, so this wasn’t an actual surgery. But I had to correct the way I saw things. I realized that my vision is shortsighted and blurry, at best. I saw the lack. I saw the brokenness. I saw the not enough.
But God wanted me to see through the corrective lens of prayer.
Prayer can help change our perspective to one of faith in Christ Jesus. Prayer helps us see beyond human limitations, to see a kind and loving God always at work.
The story of Elisha and his servant illustrates well how prayer can change the way we see things. The king of Syria was at war with Israel and wanted to seize Elisha because, through him, God had revealed to Israel’s king the Syrian war strategy. He sent his armed forces to capture Elisha. How does this play out? As recorded in 2 Kings 6:15-17 (GNT):
Early the next morning Elisha’s servant got up, went out of the house, and saw the Syrian troops with their horses and chariots surrounding the town. He went back to Elisha and exclaimed, “We are doomed, sir! What shall we do?” “Don’t be afraid,” Elisha answered. “We have more on our side than they have on theirs.” Then he prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD answered his prayer, and Elisha’s servant looked up and saw the hillside covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Elijah and his servant were surrounded by their enemies. Elijah’s servant saw defeat. He saw no way out of this trouble. But Elijah prayed! He prayed that his servant’s eyes would be opened to see. And God opened his spiritual eyes. He no longer saw himself outnumbered by his enemy, but he saw an army of horses and chariots ready to fight for him and Elijah! That’s what prayer can do. It helps us to see the wonderful things God can do and is doing.
As I stood in that small studio, I prayed that God would let me see. I prayed that he would give me his perspective. My natural eyes saw limitations, but my spiritual eyes saw the hand of God at work. I saw the power of God’s Spirit in the lives of three Bible translators. I saw God helping them so that a community of 23,000 deaf people in Cuba could be impacted by the life-changing message of God’s Word.
Prayer helps open the eyes of our heart. When we pray, we see through a lens of hope and faith. I believe that’s why the apostle Paul prays this prayer in Ephesians 1:18-19 (NIV): “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Let this also be our prayer.
Let’s Pray Together
Father, open the eyes of our heart. Let us see the rich inheritance we have as your children. Let us savor the riches of your grace. Let us live in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we endeavor to bring your Word to every person on earth, we pray that we will not see the impossibilities of this work but the power of your might to achieve this goal. We pray we will always have hope because our eyes are on you. Help us to always acknowledge your hand at work in us and around the world.
